


Building Trust

by morganaDW (morgana07)



Series: Building Trust Series [1]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hurt Jared Padalecki, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Other: See Story Notes, Physical Abuse, Protective Jensen, Triggers, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2014-07-20
Packaged: 2018-02-09 17:41:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1991907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morgana07/pseuds/morganaDW
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jensen's a physical therapist with his share of secrets when he meets his new client and immediately knows the story of how Jared injured his shoulder is a lie.</p><p>Jared's a shy young man living with his long time boyfriend and also living under a shadow of fear because he believes everything Justin tells him...until he meets Jensen and begins to doubt.</p><p>When a night of jealous rage turns violent it's Jensen that Jared turns to and who begins to help him build a trust that he's never fully had.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Judyann722](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Judyann722/gifts).



> Warnings: Language. It'll also contain mention of past and current abuse. It contains some violence as well as implied, referenced rape/non-con so it may have triggers so be aware of that. I did put the Non-con warning up top even though it's not descriptive but I wanted to be safe. There's nothing else too explicit in this. (see end note on chapter 2 for this explanation)
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
> 
> Author note: First, this story is a Stories4Charity piece at the behest of Judyann722. This is the first time including an evil!Justin but decided to give my usual bad guy a rest, lol. Thanks!

**Building Trust**

**Chapter One**

“Jensen? Your 2:00 just arrived,” Danneel Harris poked her head into the office to offer a sly smile while pretending to fan herself. “You better not keep this one waiting or half the staff and the females in the gym will be all over him.”

Checking his watch, Jensen nodded. “I’ll go out but you know the rules. Any PT patient gets privacy in the other room so show him in there and tell him I’ll be right with him.”

Well used to his friend, Jensen ignored the face she shot him as he glanced over the paperwork for his newest client in his physical therapy practice to make sure he understood the general problem.

At 30, Jensen was proud of his practice. He had about three other therapists who worked for him in the well-equipped building that sat next door to a private gym that his best friend owned and ran.

He mainly worked on the more advanced cases that came to them these days but when this patient, Jared Padalecki, was referred to him by Jensen’s old college professor who happened to be the guy’s doctor, he decided to take the case himself.

A broken shoulder that needed some muscles rebuilt and strengthened wasn’t anything too complicated and was surprised that Sam would have told the guy to ask for him specifically but he respected the woman and would see what he could do to get Mr. Padalecki back to full health and activity level.

Jensen dressed casually when he worked with patients. Today he was in tan slacks and a deep royal blue t-shirt with sneakers on since he liked to be comfortable too and dress shoes had never cut it for him.

He ignored the looks and sidelong grins he caught from his staff as he headed to one of the private rooms that he always met with clients in first to do the initial exam. Knocking, Jensen entered when he heard a soft voice speak up. He was extending his hand even as he was introducing himself.

“Mr. Padalecki,” he prayed he didn’t butcher that name too badly even as he was looking up from the file in his hand. “I’m Jensen Ackles and I’ll be your physical therapist for…” he found his words drawing off as his patient stood slowly from where he’d been sitting on the table in the room and Jensen suddenly realized what Danneel had meant by her comment.

Jensen had looked at the file in the beginning. He knew all the patient vitals so he knew Jared was 22. He knew he was 6’4” tall and was supposed to be around 190 pounds. He knew all that but what threw his brain cells off to nearly falter in his perfect pitch was that he had not been expecting a boyishly handsome face with dimples, a shy smile and deep hazel eyes flecked with gold and blue.

“Hi,” Jared greeted quietly, not noticing the slip as he held out an awkward left hand while keeping his right arm close to his body. “Dr. Sam said you were really good with people and stuff like this. Umm, do I call you Dr. Ackles or…”

“No, Jensen’s fine,” Jensen got his thoughts back in order while focusing on the file and not the muscular chest and arms on this young man or the long legs encased in denim or the way his long dark brown hair fell into eyes that made him want to brush it out just to have an excuse to touch him.

Right then he was silently vowing to call Sam Ferris and snarl at her for sending him the very picture of a young Greek God with a Texas drawl and dimples.

“Can I call you Jared?” he asked, offering a smile to put the clearly nervous young man at ease with him. “I don’t want to butcher your last name more than I might have already.”

“Oh. No, you actually got it right,” Jared’s hair fell back in his face as if not wanting to look Jensen directly in the face. “And yeah, you can call me Jared or Jay, either’s fine.”

“Let’s start with Jared and go from there,” Jensen knew right then that he should back off and have either Gen or Matt take this one but something in his gut was telling him not to. “So, while I take a look care to tell me how you broke your shoulder to start with?” he asked, placing the file on the table and motioning to the long sleeve t-shirt his patient was wearing. “Can you get this off so I can get an idea of your range of motion?”

Jared’s shy smile dimmed somewhat at that, fingers suddenly nervous as they picked at the bottom of the faded shirt. “Umm, do I have to?” he asked quietly, a slight stutter appearing in his voice as if afraid to remove the shirt.

“For me to get an idea of things and so you’ll be able to move while exercising yeah, it needs to come off,” Jensen started to smile again but stopped when he caught the look of worry on that handsome face. “Does it hurt that bad to take it on and off, Jared?” he asked, concerned that maybe the injury wasn’t healed enough to begin therapy.

“No, no, it’s…fine,” Jared carefully eased the shirt off with a wince. “I…I uh…hurt it wrestling with a friend’s son,” he replied in answer to how it happened. “Stupid, I know but then I’m just clumsy,” he kept his eyes downward to stare at his shoes. “I’m always running into things or tripping or…falling,” he added quickly.

Too quickly in Jensen’s opinion but he was about to let it go until he moved around to take a look at Jared’s back and immediately felt every internal alarm bell he had start to blare.

“Clumsy, huh?” he murmured as if making conversation while his eyes zeroed in on the small bruises he could see on Jared’s back. “How old was the kid that took you out?”

“13 and yeah, I’m always…falling,” Jared finally looked over his shoulder with eyes that were almost silently pleading with Jensen not to ask anymore. “I…I help teach T-ball. Will I…can you help me so I can move this again?”

Right then Jensen knew his idea to pass Jared off to one of the others was out of play. He also knew why Sam had sent the kid to him and wasn’t sure to send her flowers or a dead rat because Jensen was close to breaking the one firm rule he’d made with himself when starting out on his own: no getting involved with a client.

Not only was it not ethical but it could end up hurting too many people. Jensen had learned that the hard way once and refused to do it again. He’d managed to avoid any serious issues…until he walked into this room today and laid eyes on Jared.

“Sure, I can,” he gave a bright smile while letting his hand just rest gently on the back of Jared’s neck to feel him tense briefly then relax fully. “Work with me and do what I say and we’ll have you pitching and batting again in no time.”

Jensen normally didn’t like to make promises like that but the actual huge bright dimpled smile that brought out again in Jared made it worth it and the therapist swore that he would do just that.

In the next two weeks he saw Jared three times a week since from that first initial exam it became clear that Jared’s shoulder and arm needed a lot more work to not only regain full mobility but also some strength in that right arm.

Jensen learned early that Jared was a hard worker. He didn’t complain about the pain or the exercises that might have seemed light but as Jensen explained they needed to start out light to avoid further damaging the tendons and muscles.

Of course he also gave him exercises to do at home to help strengthen his shoulder and arm. It was plain to Jensen within a week that those exercises weren’t being done but when he asked about them Jared would just close down, hide his face and mumble an excuse that he was too lazy and stupid to remember them.

Lazy and stupid were two things that Jensen knew Jared was not. He might be quiet and shy for the most part but the young man was far from stupid and could talk about any number of topics if Jensen could draw him out of the shell that he sometimes arrived in.

There were visits that Jared was all smiles and happy when he arrived and then there were other times, like this day, when he not only arrived late but he wasn’t smiling or at least not his full dimpled smile and he seemed standoffish, nearly cringing whenever Jensen came too close.

Ever since that first day Jared usually wore a tank top to therapy but as Jensen entered the gym that day he noticed he once again had on a long sleeve t-shirt that looked two sizes too small.

“Did you shrink your shirt?” he asked lightly, warning bells starting to light up when Jared jumped at his voice. “You can’t work out in that, Jared. Take it off and I promise to lock the door so Dani and Gen won’t peek.”

“Umm, I…I…don’t think I can…do it today…Jen…sir,” Jared stumbled over the words, eyes hidden behind his hair as he stood stiffly. “I…I…tripped down…umm…the steps last night and…”

Jensen laid the file folder down to cross the room, eyes sharp for the little tells he’d learned to watch for in Jared and stopped when the kid backpedaled a little too fast, tripped over an untied sneaker and went down hard. “Jared!”

Alarmed not only by the change in behavior but also concerned, Jensen took the distance between them in four running steps to kneel down beside the stuttering and upset young man. “Jared, calm down. It’s fine if you can’t do all the exercises or…”

“No, can’t do ‘em. Have…haveta stop coming,” Jared was mumbling, right arm held protectively against his stomach as he was almost curling into himself but jerked at the hand that just lightly touched him. “No! Don’t…ow!”

Jensen soon forgot everything that he should be saying or doing. He forgot that he was merely supposed to be Jared’s physical therapist. He forgot it all the moment he saw the glassy eyes wild with fear and pain as well as the swollen face, bloodshot eye that had a nice bruise forming under it and split lip.

From the first day Jensen had suspected that the story of breaking his shoulder while wrestling with a friend’s son had been a lie because he’d picked up on the more not so obvious signs that had been there if one knew what to look for.

Jensen knew the signs of someone being abused and he’d seen them in Jared right from the first day but he’d been willing to put his career, his rules ahead of what common sense was telling him and let it go. He’d been noticing the other marks, bruises or little wounds that Jared might come in with but always had some excuse for.

He’d tried to ask casually but Jared would just get that wide eyed panicked look and say how he was clumsy and stupid and had fallen or in the case of the burn on his arm had touched something when it was hot.

In two weeks Jensen had learned that Jared’s family was killed in a car crash when he was two and he’d grown up in the foster care system being shipped from home to home until he was 18 when he suddenly had to learn to make it on his own.

He knew he’d graduated high school and could have gone to college on a baseball scholarship except something came up and he didn’t go. He knew he loved kids and all animals but reptiles. He knew he was shy and quiet but loved to laugh once he got used to someone. He also knew by just some odd comments that he had a boyfriend he lived with, who supported him since he was supposedly too stupid to work anywhere by a vet’s office and a fast food place.

Jared didn’t speak a lot about his boyfriend, Justin, and when he did it was quietly, carefully as if he had to think of each phrase to make sure it was stated in just a certain way.

Jensen had only caught a glimpse of Justin once when he walked Jared outside to see the bright red sports car waiting for him and the tall blond handsome guy behind the wheel shouted for him to get his lazy ass in the car.

Jensen had grown up knowing how to read people. It had saved his life more than once so he could instantly get a read on Jared’s so-called boyfriend as an arrogant ass who believed he was better than everyone and looked down on anyone he met, including the wonderful young man who bought into his lies.

He’d met plenty of assholes like Justin Hartley. Hell, Jensen had dated his fair share of them and could remember being someone like Jared; someone who’d made excuses for the abuse and believed he’d actually deserved to be beat or mistreated until finally a friend made him see what was really happening and Jensen was able to get out.

As he took in Jared’s battered face and how he was protecting his ribs along with the heat he could feel under his hand on his shoulder Jensen knew it was time someone began to try to make Jared see that before this went too far…if it hadn’t already.

“Hey, hey, calm down now,” he urged soothingly, hearing Danneel’s voice asking what was wrong and motioning her away. “Jay, look at me.”

Slowly Jared seemed to settle down enough to realize that Jensen’s voice was calm, his touch gentle. He did finally lift his head enough to peer at the older man through watery blurry eyes and knew he should leave. He needed to follow orders and get out but he just couldn’t bring himself to move away from the light touch on his arm even though it was painful right then.

When Jensen shortened his name, something the man had started to do when it was just them in the gym area and something that Justin never did, Jared made his eyes focus to see worry in Jensen’s green eyes and not anger or mocking like he almost always saw from his boyfriend.

“Let me help you up and we’ll go into my office to talk about why you think you can’t keep coming to see me about this shoulder,” Jensen made no other move, he just waited to see if Jared would let him help or if he’d run like he could tell a piece of him wanted. “Jay, please. I promise not to hurt you but I can’t in good conscience let you leave like this. If I did I’d have to call Sam and tell her about these bruises and how bloodshot your eye looks…how many walls did you run into to cause this?”

“No, please don’t call Dr. Sam. She’ll…yell and that just makes it worse,” Jared’s fingers gripped Jensen’s wrist but with nowhere close to the strength Jensen knew the young Texan had. “Please…”

“Sam yells at you?” that made Jensen frown because he’d never once heard the woman raise her tone to a patient unless really angry but then saw a slight shake of Jared’s head and guessed who the woman probably yelled out. “She yells at Mr. Wonderful for what she thinks is happening and then he takes it out on you?” that made more sense and Jensen knew it was true even as Jared’s eyes dropped and he mumbled something too low for the therapist to understand. “C’mon, let’s go into my office.”

Jared hesitated a second more before finally letting Jensen help him to his feet, legs wobbly as his head swam and he wasn’t even aware of how much he was leaning against Jensen until he was sat down on a soft leather sofa in the man’s private office. “I’m…”

“No, don’t say you’re sorry,” Jensen knew on instinct that was what would come out of the boy’s mouth and it just served to make his simmering temper boil more. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. This is not your fault, Jay. And the sooner you realize that the better you’ll be. Now…can you take off your shirt for me?” he asked, keeping his distance so Jared wouldn’t be threatened or trapped. “Please? I just want to see if your shoulder is hurt worse.”

Jared knew what he should do. He knew he’d made a mistake coming to the clinic that day, but felt it only right to tell Jensen why he wouldn’t be back. He didn’t want to stop coming for treatment because he’d felt the difference in his arm these last two weeks but now he was scared all of that had been ruined. He was also scared of what would happen if he didn’t stop but wasn’t sure how to say that without getting into even more trouble with someone.

He knew it had been his fault for talking too much about Jensen and what the man was doing to help his injury to get better. Jared knew it angered Justin to think someone else was paying attention to him because as Justin always said he was too stupid and ugly to have someone as nice or good looking as Jensen pay any attention to him without wanting something else in return.

Jared had met Justin his last year of High School and had been shocked that the popular Senior had paid him any attention since Jared, while popular in school, wasn’t in the same clique or circle of people that Justin Hartley ran with.

Justin was and is tall, smart and handsome. He had confidence and money and he hadn’t let anyone including his new boyfriend ever forget it.

For the first few months Justin was great. He was friendly, generous, kind, funny, gentle and never pushed for anything. Then when he talked Jared into moving in with him since he’d been staying with friends ever since his last foster home went bust all of that changed and Jared had been so stunned that he believed the first time he was slapped that it was because of something stupid that he’d said.

Growing up in mostly homes that just saw him as a check from the system, Jared had gotten used to being abused, to being told he was stupid, or clumsy or ugly. It often floored or scared him when he was told anything else or if someone treated him kindly…like Jensen had been right from the start.

The difference between Jensen and Justin were like night and day but by this point Jared’s head had been so filled with his faults that he knew everything that his fair haired, toned and bronzed boyfriend said about him was true and he deserved what he got for all his mistakes and stupid habits.

He hesitantly reached to take his shirt off but gasped as pain shot through his shoulder again and tried to cover the sudden tears that wanted to fall when gentle fingers brushed over his cheek. “Please,” he wasn’t sure what he was saying please to really. He just didn’t want to make Jensen angry with him over this. “I…fell…”

“No, baby, you didn’t,” Jensen had put some ice in an ice bag he then wrapped in a towel that he gently placed on Jared’s face while helping him to remove the shirt, biting down hard on his tongue to keep in the series of harsh words he wanted to say the moment he saw the mass of bruises and welts that littered the boy’s back as well as his ribs. “Damn, Jay,” he breathed, feeling the body next to him shaking. “What the hell did he do to you?”

“What?” Jared’s voice shook as he looked at Jensen in surprise, not expecting the man to ask that or to sound as outraged as he did. “No, no…Justin didn’t…I…tripped and…”

Jensen took a better look at some of the bruises and could make out the knuckle prints on some of them. “Jared, you didn’t fall. You couldn’t have gotten these on your back like this, on your shoulders by falling or tripping unless you fell backwards down about four flights of stairs and even then…Jay, I can make out the imprints of someone’s knuckles right here,” he was gentle when he touched a livid bruise, quickly soothing the muffled cry of pain that came. “Your shoulder’s dislocated and needs put back into place and you might have a fracture on your face. Please…let me call someone or…”

“No!” Jared’s fear went up at that, knowing he needed to get out of here. He’d been inside the clinic too long as it was. “Justin didn’t…it was my fault, Jensen. I made him angry. I was talking about you and how you said I’d be able to pitch again like I did in school and he…it was wrong of me to want to…”

“Wrong to want to do something you like to do?” Jensen really wanted to give Justin Hartley a taste of his own medicine as he listened to the guilt and fear in the soft voice and wondered just how long Jared had been knocked down to think that he couldn’t be happy or friendly. “Was it the pitching that pissed him off or was it me telling you that you’d be able to that did it? How long has he been hurting you like this, Jared?”

“No, no, no, you don’t understand!” Jared pushed away to struggle back into his shirt, ignoring the blinding pain in his back and shoulder or how he wished he hadn’t screwed it all up with his big mouth. “Justin puts up with my stupidity and clumsiness and lets me live with him cause I…I don’t earn that much and I…I make him mad sometimes so he says he has to…put me in my place to teach me. He…lov…loves me and…I need to go!”

Jensen was stunned at what he was hearing and how familiar it all sounded in his ears as he could recall saying something similar years before. “Jay, wait!” he knew he couldn’t stop Jared but he also knew he couldn’t let him leave without saying something else. “I know you think you love him. I know he’s probably spent however long you’ve been with him filling your head with lies like he’s the only one who will ever love you or that you deserve to be mistreated but none of that’s true.

“You’re not stupid. You’re not clumsy. You’re not worthless or anything else nasty or derogatory that he might have said to knock you down. You’re a handsome, caring, wonderful young man with a huge heart that deserves so much more than you’ve clearly had,” Jensen reached into his desk for a card that he wrote on before holding it out. “That’s my home and cell number on the back. If you ever want or need to talk or…if you ever want or need my help call me anytime, day or night and I swear I will be there for you. You do not deserve to be hurt or scared like this, Jay. No one does.”

Jared stared at the extended card before taking it with shaking fingers, looking at it. “Why…why do you care so much about this, about me?” he asked, voice softer than normal when he lifted his clear eye up to look at Jensen; confused by this man’s kindness. “You don’t even know me or…anything about me.”

“I know you’re a gentle heart who trusted someone who doesn’t deserve you, someone who is just using you for his own personal gain, to make himself feel powerful by making you feel weak. I know you love animals and helping kids. I know you want to be so much more than you are because he keeps knocking you down and I know if you’d let me that you could heal that shoulder,” Jensen shoved his hands into his slacks before he did what he really wanted to do and reach out to touch this shaking, battered, confused boy. “I care about you, about what I see him doing to you because 12 years ago I was you and I swore when I got out of the hospital after my boyfriend nearly killed me one night that I’d never let it happen again and that I’d try to keep others from ever being hurt like that,” he went on grimly, meeting and holding started eyes. “I don’t want to see you hurt or killed when he gets too angry one day, Jared. Just remember what I said and call me if you ever need to.”

Jared was stunned to look at Jensen and think that at any time he ever would have been like him. Jensen, in his mind, was perfect with his 6’1” body that was lean and toned, short dark blond hair that spiked up some if he hadn’t been running his fingers through it, kind smile and deep husky voice. This was not a man that any guy would knock around.

He was about to say that when a knock came on the door and the pretty red haired young woman that Jared knew ran the front desk stuck her head in with an unusual frown on her face and heat in her eyes.

“Excuse me, Jensen. I don’t mean to interrupt but there’s an asshole out front looking for Jared and before I send Gen next door to see if Chris is there to come toss his uppity butt out I thought I’d check with you before I did that,” she eyed her boss and then Jared, gaze softening.

“Justin,” Jared whispered, fingers closing on Jensen’s business card before stuffing it into his pocket as his already pale and bruised face went even paler; wide eyes shooting to Jensen as if unsure. “I…I was here too long. He…he followed me here to be sure…I…he’ll be angry…I need to…”

“You don’t have to go with him, Jared,” Jensen told him, hearing the loud angry voice even from the office and watched the way Jared shook even more. “If you’re scared of him I can make him leave and he can’t touch you.”

Jared’s smile was slow, sad as he looked between Jensen and where his boyfriend was shouting for him to shake his head. “I…I have to go. I…he lets me live there and lets me keep a little of my pay so I can buy lunch,” he took a shaky step out of the office, past a frowning Danneel to pause. “He’s…not always like this or…not this bad. I’ll…be okay. Thanks for being nice to me though and I’m sorry I wasted your time. Bye.”

Jensen opened his mouth but shut it, debating all of five seconds before following the younger man; choosing to ignore the muffled threats that Danneel was offering in regards to what she’d like to see done to the loud mouth in the lobby that had now managed to attract nearly everyone inside the clinic.

In the middle of the front lobby Justin Hartley at 6’2” easily towered over Genevieve Cortese, one of the other therapists, who was boldly standing in front of him with her hands on narrow hips, blocking him from going any further.

“Look bitch, get the hell out of my way so I can go find my…” Justin was yelling, lifting his hand as if to strike or shove the petite black haired woman when he caught sight of Jared; a hard scowl marring an otherwise handsome face. “Jared! For God’s sake, I told you to come here, sign some goddamn forms and then leave! How long does that take or are you so stupid that you forgot how to spell that stupid last name of yours?”

“I…” Jared choked as his heart seemed to pound faster the closer he got to his boyfriend, recognizing the anger but also already smelling the booze which meant that Justin didn’t go to work at his father’s company but to a bar. “I…got dizzy and Je…Mr. Ackles was making sure I was alright,” he knew there was no excuse that would appease Justin when he was already angry. “You didn’t have to come checking on me, Justin.”

Justin sneered, eyes hard as they looked his boyfriend over before snapping up to lock on Jensen’s cold green ones. “Right, and if I hadn’t I’m sure you would’ve done what I told you to this morning,” he grabbed Jared’s stiff and injured right arm to yank him forward, ignoring the barely muffled cry of pain to shove him toward the door. “Go get the fuck in the car and try not to fall down the steps like you fell last night, stupid!” he snapped without care of how embarrassed Jared was at his words or tone or the pain he’d caused him. “I’ll finish up in here.”

“Y…yes, Justin,” Jared whispered tightly, trying to hold his hurt arm close to his body all the while ignoring the looks he could feel from the audience of witnesses and trying not to look back at Jensen even though he suddenly wished he had the guts to listen to the therapist and stand up to Justin. “I…I’m sorry I took so long.”

“Jared!” Jensen took a step forward just as Jared was opening the door, ignoring the glare the other man shot him to keep his eyes on the shaky ones that he could see in the door glass. “Remember what I told you today. And if you ever want help…with that arm you know where to find me.”

Swallowing hard, Jared bit back what he almost said to nod and go out the door toward the red sports car that was illegally parked.

“Stay the fuck away from what’s mine, Ackles,” Justin snapped, glaring with pure rage at the physical therapist. He’d hated the man from the moment Jared had first come home from the useless therapy sessions to talk with excitement about getting better and pitching to those useless little brats again. By the time last night had come about he was determined that Jared know his place and got it out of his head about continuing this therapy crap much less seeing the clinic’s owner. “Jared doesn’t need you or your ‘help’. He’s got everything he needs with me.”

“You mean you have everything _you_ need so long as you can keep him under your thumb,” Jensen shot back, resisting the urge to make a fist and use it on the pompous asshole. “You’re an arrogant jackass used to getting your way and using your fists on a kid that you’ve beaten down emotionally makes you feel big and tough. Big man, Hartley. One of these days, Jared’ll get smart and see you for what you are. Then when he walks away you’ll see just how big you really are.”

Justin’s lips curled and he started to take a step forward with his fist raised but stopped when Jensen merely cocked his head as if daring him. “Jared’s too damn stupid to leave me, asshole. He knows I’m all there is for him and he’ll take whatever I give him and like it. Stay away from him or I’ll see you arrested for stalking.”

“Or I could have you arrested for battery and assault since I’ve seen his back and face. I know he didn’t fall and if you ever put your hands on him again and I find out about it I will see you hauled off in cuffs,” Jensen was actually hoping the jackass did throw a punch but knew Hartley wasn’t that stupid when he merely threw up his middle finger and stormed out of the place. “Damn it.”

“Are we just going letting that happen?” Danneel demanded, following him back to the office after snapping at the bystanders to get back to what they should be doing. “That asshole is pure abuser. Jared’s already beat up! _Jen_ sen!” she put enough stress on the first half of his name to let him know she wasn’t happy. “You have to see what’s happening to him.”

“I do see it, Dani,” he sighed, slumping on the sofa to scrub his face. “I see it, I see what’s going to happen but it’s not like Jared’s 15. He’s an adult and like when I was dating Steve, he has to be the one to make the choice to make the break. I just have to hope it’s before he lands in the ER on life support…or worse.”

Jared was unaware of the worry being thrown his way as he sat on the sofa in the plush Houston apartment he shared with Justin.

The ride home had been tense and silent as had the ride in the elevator. Jared knew he should’ve been expecting the quiet to stop the minute the door closed but he was still taken off guard by the back hand to his face that hit with such force that he fell into the table by the door.

“Goddamn useless cheater!” Justin raged, throwing his jacket off to grab a wide-eyed Jared by the throat and shoving him into the living room. “You don’t think I’d see it? You don’t think I’d see how he looked at you today? I’ve given you everything, Jared! I’ve loved you, taken care of you when without me you’d be living in a box in an alley cause you’re too stupid to make anything of yourself!” he yelled, furious. “How many times have you fucked him? Huh? How many?”

“N…no, it’s not like that,” Jared argued, trying to lift his left arm to try to protect his face but cried out when the pain went through his right arm again. “Justin, please! I didn’t do anything! Jensen’s my friend. He never…ugh!”

“No one is your goddamn friend, Jared!” Justin shouted, booze and jealousy making his fists hit even harder despite the cries of pain and whimpers of the young man under him. “You have no friends! You’re too stupid and ugly to have friends! After this I might not even want you! After I show you exactly what you’re good for and I’m done with you I want you out of my house! Get out and go see if your damn precious therapist will take you in! Or maybe…maybe I’ll keep you and just use you for what all my friends say you’re good for,” he sneered, pushing up to reach for his belt and starting to pull at Jared’s jeans despite the weak struggles.

“I picked you senior year because you were too dumb, too easy to push around to give me any issues and didn’t ask for anything. You’re the perfect guy to use for the kind of sex I like while pretending to be straight for my folks,” Justin punched Jared in the face just because he liked to hear him whimper in pain. “I was going to keep you after I get married to the pretty little blond Dad hooked me up with but now I might make you beg for it. Beg for it all but first…you’re gonna give me what you’ve been giving that ass Ackles.”

If he hadn’t already been numb from the shock of the beating, from the pain being inflicted by the man he thought he loved and who he had believed had actually loved him this would’ve pushed Jared all the way into it. Hearing the hateful words hurt but learning that he’d basically been nothing but a kept plaything for Justin to fuck or pretend with, to use when it suited him had an odd surge of anger building inside him, of betrayal.

“Didn’t…do anything with him!” he got out between gritted teeth, unable to move his right arm so he shoved with his left and heard a surprised grunt. “Not…doing anything with you either! Get…get offa me!”

Jared had been told by plenty of people back in school that Justin was using him but he’d been too in love and blinded by the man to see it for himself. Even Jensen’s warnings hadn’t gotten through and now…now he felt as stupid as he’d been told he was for not seeing it before.

“I thought you loved me!” he struggled to get the weight off of him but cried out when suddenly Justin’s fist hit his jaw with a lot more strength than before and he was dragged off the sofa to land hard on the floor with his supposed boyfriend’s weight on him. “I…no! Justin!”

“I loved the hot body and the sex I could get out of you that didn’t cost me fancy dinners and other gifts, moron,” Justin replied, looking down at the bloody nose and nearly swollen eye to smile. “Why do you think I told you that damn scholarship fell through, Jare? If you had gone away then I would’ve lost my toy. I take your money that you think you’re giving me to help with rent. Dumbass, my family owns this building. There is no rent and once I’m done fucking you tonight I’ll prove what you’re good for.”

The fear and pain built up but with his one arm basically useless Jared was helpless to fight back against what he knew was going to be bad. As he felt Justin jerking his jeans down all Jared could think of was warm green eyes and a deep voice promising help…if he only had a chance to ask for it.

** Later that night: **

“So…I ran Hartley’s name just because I got tired of Danneel bitching about him. You want to know what I found or are you going to keep beating the crap out of this bag and wishing it was his face?”

Ignoring the rough low voice of his best friend, gym owner and police lieutenant Chris Kane, Jensen continued to hit the heavy bag and refused to confirm that he was indeed picturing Hartley’s face with each punch.

“He’s a rich punk running on family money. His record, if there is one, is probably sealed,” he grunted, hitting harder because he could still see the fear on Jared’s face earlier that day. “We both know the type.”

“True and yeah, his old man has been cleaning up his messes since high school it seems but the record is still there and is about as long as the state of Texas…twice,” Chris held the bag tighter, seeing the vein in Jensen’s rugged face twitch. “Boy has a line of domestic assaults, battery, threats, drunken and disorderly and other fun stuff since high school. He even had a rape charge at one point but the girl…yes, I said girl, dropped the charges and…according to the society section of the Houston Journal is now engaged to one Justin Hartley.”

Jensen stopped in mid punch to stare at the other man. “He’s…engaged?” he frowned, a cold feeling creeping into his gut as he tried to reason that one through. “What the hell’s he doing with Jared if he’s engaged to some girl he’s already probably paying off?”

“I’d tell you my opinion but I don’t want you to hit me like I know you will,” Chris returned with a lifted brow, watching the look of disgust that came as Jensen thought it over more. “The bastard’s probably been using the kid since high school, Jensen. By now he’s got his head all screwed up. This might not be one you can save even though I know you’re gonna…it’s going on 3AM, who the hell’s calling you this late?”

Not taking the time to look, Jensen grabbed his cellphone. “Hello?” he greeted then frowned at the dead air. He was about to hang up when he heard another sound and gripped the phone tighter. “Jared? Is that you?” he asked, ignoring Chris now. “Jay? Hey, c’mon, let me know this is you or…can’t you talk?”

“… …Jensen…h…help.”

The pain in a voice that was barely above a choked whisper could be heard and instantly had Jensen moving. “What’s wrong, Jay? Can you tell me what’s wrong or where you are?” he asked, alarmed by how raspy Jared sounded and couldn’t be sure if it was pain or fear of being discovered on the phone that was the cause. “Jay, please. Tell me.”

“H-hurts,” Jared was fighting tears and trying to keep his voice low. “C-can’t get out. He…please…I…can you…” he cut off in a pained groaned. “Jen…help please.”

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Building Trust**

**Chapter Two**

“Jen…help please.”

“Are you at Hartley’s place, Jared?” Jensen had that address burned in his memory, scrawling it on a piece of paper to shove it toward his friend while mouthing the words ‘call 911 now!’ even as he was grabbing his jacket and keys.

“Y-yeah,” Jared whimpered, trying to crawl a bit more toward the door but it hurt too much and he was afraid of waking Justin where he’d passed out in the bedroom after he was done beating and assaulting him. “Can’t…get…he…” he choked back a sob and the sudden need to cry as he heard the soothing voice shushing him softly.

“Shhh, shhh. I’m on my way, Jay. I’ll be there in less than 10 minutes,” Jensen promised, already out his door. “How bad hurt are you?”

Jared wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he hurt and there was a lot of blood this time. “Bleeding…” he whispered, eyes heavy. “Sleepy.”

“No, stay awake, Jay!” Jensen saw Chris talking on his phone even as he ran after him. “I need you to be awake for me when I get to you. Is he still in the apartment?”

“Yeah,” Jared mumbled, tongue feeling weird. “P-passed out but…he…won’t let you take me. He…he’s…”

“Oh, he’ll let me take you cause he isn’t going to have a goddamn choice if you say you want to come with me,” Jensen wasn’t taking no for an answer this time, especially not given how bad Jared sounded. “I’m coming for you, Jay. Just hang on.”

Jared gave up trying to move more to the door, letting his body just stay where it was as what little he could see blurred more and he tasted blood in his mouth. “… …scared...”

“I know you are, babe. It’ll be alright soon. Just try to hold on for me,” Jensen ignored the muttering about his driving for the moment. His sole focus was getting to Jared as fast as he could. “Jay? Jared? You still with me?” he asked when he suddenly realized he couldn’t hear anything. “Damn it!”

“Ambulance and a couple cop cars are going to meet us there,” Chris told him, grim faced as he watched Jensen drive more than a little recklessly. “You know this could get tricky in more than a few ways.”

“Call in favors, make favors then. I don’t care what you have to do but Jared is coming out of that place and Hartley will never come close to him again,” Jensen would risk a cell if he had to but he would get Jared out of there and to someplace safe.

Chris sighed, glad even when he was off duty that he normally kept his badge and pistol on him as Jensen pulled up to the apartment complex that required the doorman buzz people inside. “Oh, this won’t be fun.”

Jensen could hear the sirens but he wasn’t in the frame of mind to wait, banging on the door until a crisply dressed older man came forward with a frown. “Open up.”

“I’m sorry but without an okay from one of the tenants I certainly can’t…” the man began stiffly until a badge was slammed against the class.

“We got a call from a boy in one of these apartments that might be hurt bad enough to be bleeding to death,” Chris growled, letting his normal gravelly voice drop lower to his pissed off cop voice. “Now, I’ve got two more squads and an ambulance on the way. I could also make a call to get a judge out of bed to get me a warrant but I think by the way you’re looking that you know the boy I mean. You also know how pissed off an old Texas judge is going to be if I have to wake one up at 4AM so it’s your choice how we play this.”

“Jared,” the doorman murmured, hesitant until finally he flipped the lock to open the door. “If anyone’s hurt it would be Jared. Mr. Justin just had that look about him today when he practically dragged the boy inside. He…he hurts him nearly all the time these days.”

Jensen’s blood was already hot but that nearly made him turn on the older man. “And people like you do nothing to stop it,” he spat in disgust, grabbing Chris’s arm. “Let’s go!”

“You let those other cops and the EMTs in when they get here,” Chris growled in warning, following Jensen but paused to look back. “I also would be prepared to give an honest statement on what you’ve seen or heard because if you think of lying to save this job I will haul your ass out for perjury and impeding an investigation. Jensen! Wait for me, dammit!”

Jensen knew the apartment number from Jared’s file so he was halfway there by the time Chris caught up to him. There were two other officers following quickly. There was loud music coming from inside the apartment which would certainly explain the noise in the background of the call and it would also muffle any sounds or cries for help.

“Jared!” Jensen pounded on the door a few times until he was nudged aside. “He said he couldn’t get out. If he’s hurt too bad he might not be able to make it to the door or even reach the lock. Open it!”

“We have proof there’s an injured person inside?” one of the officers asked, pulling his sidearm while nodding to his partner.

“Yeah, abuse case and the kid could be pretty well banged up from the way it sounded when he talked to Jensen,” Chris’s arm straining to keep Jensen back. “We are working on a warrant but he called Jensen asking for help so…”

The cop nodded. “Case of emergency then,” he replied before kicking a swift hard kick to bring the door crashing open before swearing harshly. “Holy shit!”

Jensen was inside and swallowing every curse he wanted to say as he dropped to his knees where Jared laid on the floor between the living room and hall. “Jared!”

“Get those medics up here,” Chris snapped, pulling his jacket off to lay it over the half-naked, bruised, bloodied young man. “And get the other squad too because I want the asshole arrested the second he shows his face. Jensen…”

Ignoring the cops who were now moving through the apartment, Jensen’s fingers gently felt for a pulse that he could feel beating strong but fast. A single look told him what must have happened and it made him furious with not only Justin Hartley but also himself because he knew if he would’ve tried a little harder to keep Jared from going this might not have happened.

“Jared? Hey, Jay…come on, it’s Jensen. Can you hear me?” he asked, keeping his voice soft as the blaring music was shut off and he heard the soft little whimpers coming from the barely conscious young man. “Jay?”

Jared heard voices, thought he felt someone close to him whose hands were warm and gentle; not hard and painful like he’d nearly grown to accept. He nearly tried to resist, afraid it was Justin or some of his friends when he finally heard his nickname and knew on a sob who was with him, that he was safe. “…Jen.”

“Yeah, I’m here, Jay. I’ve got you,” Jensen smoothed Jared’s hair out of his face to see with a sick twist of his stomach as he saw how badly damaged Jared’s already battered face was now. “Oh my God. What the hell did he do to you?”

“…go,” Jared whispered, words slurring as shock and pain covered his body. He managed to lift his left hand to reach blindly and felt it caught and held tightly. “Don’ let him…hurt…”

“No, baby. No, I swear to you that Hartley won’t ever do this again,” Jensen would kill the man before he ever saw him raise a hand to Jared again. “Where’s the…”

The paramedics were just coming in the door with a stretcher after being informed of the condition of their patient when a loud, angry half-drunk voice shouted from within the apartment.

“What the goddamn fucking hell is going on?” Justin had passed out after his last time fucking Jared. He planned to do it a couple more times before deciding if he’d kick the kid to the curb or keep him. Waking up to find his place filled with people instantly pissed him off but then his eyes landed on where Jared was laying, half curled on Jensen’s lap and he started to lunge only to be shoved back by a hard hand to his chest. “I don’t know what’s going on but I want that asshole arrested for stalking my…boyfriend. I want him…hey! Did you hear me? I said…”

Chris put a hand on Jensen’s shoulder to urge him to focus on what was important right then as Jared cried out as a medic placed a light hand on his side. “No one’s listening to you right now, Hartley,” he told him, standing to flip his badge open and nodding to Jared. “Did you do this to him?”

“He’s clumsy,” Justin sneered, eyes flicking over to where Jared laid barely conscious and whispering to Jensen. “He fell and then we had some sex tonight and things got rough. He likes it rough, don’t you, Jared?” he smiled confidently as if expecting his lies to be agreed with.

“…n-no,” Jared managed to get out, fingers trying to grip Jensen’s hand while hiding his face away from the hate he knew he’d see on the other man’s fair face. “You…b-beat…me…again,” he stuttered between gasps of pain. “Said…no but you…you still forced…”

“Shut the fuck up!” Justin screamed, going to rush forward to grab the young man only to stop when a gun was aimed in his face. “You can’t do this. No one called you! He’s stupid! He doesn’t have a say in…”

Chris prayed Jensen kept his temper as another officer knelt beside the injured boy while the medics worked to stabilize him enough to move him. “I think he does since I don’t think he’s falling for your lies and threats anymore, rich boy. Jared? Did Mr. Hartley put those marks on you?” he asked, loud enough for all in the room to hear. “Is he the one who beat you this severally? Did he rape you?”

“He will never answer those questions, cop,” Justin shot back, mouth falling open at when Jared forced out enough words to acknowledge each of the questions. “Liar! He’s lying! He knows I was dumping him so he wants to…”

“Shut the hell up,” Jensen growled, feeling Jared’s tears through his shirt as he let the boy cling to him as best he could right then. “He’s not going to lie for you anymore! He finally got tired of being your punching bag and is through with you. Now let your Daddy try to buy your way out of this when it’s against someone who can’t be bought off.”

Justin jerked as two cops began to handcuff him and read him his rights. “He’s nothing without me! He has nothing! He’s a stupid, clumsy faggot with no one and nothing!” he sneered while glaring with hate at Jensen. “My old man can buy anyone or anything! Jared can’t survive on his own and he knows it! He’ll come crawling back because I’m the only one who will…”

“No…won’t,” Jared managed to get out, realizing with stunning swiftness how much of his last few years had been a lie and how stupid he had been to listen to Justin. “No more. Won’t…let you do…this again. You…used me now…you can…go…go…ugh!”

“Shh, don’t talk now, Jay,” Jensen was quick to soothe him, fighting the need to put his fist into the mouth that was now screaming obscenities and slurs at Jared as he was gently moved to the stretcher. “We’re going to get you to the ER and get you some help. Just rest now. I’ll be with you when you wake up,” he promised, smoothing his fingers over a bruised, bloodied cheek to smile in reassurance. “It’s going to be okay now. You’re safe.”

Jared was slipping into darkness thanks to the pain as well as the shot of morphine so he could only nod, fingers still trying to hold onto Jensen even as he mumbled something too low to hear.

“You bastard!” Justin shouted, furious that this was happening. “You better rethink this, Ackles! My old man will put your little therapy shop out of business for screwing with me! Trust me! Jared ain’t worth what you think he is! He’s only good for quick fuck! He’s…”

Jensen had been biting his lip as he continued to hold the limp hand while the medics secured the stretcher and got ready to move. Now even as a low voice was advising him to let it go, to keep his cool he merely shifted his eyes. “To you he might only be worth that but to me…he’s worth so much more,” he moved to grab Jared’s jacket and wallet where they’d been tossed on the floor. “To you he was nothing more than a toy to play with, to hurt, to degrade because you could. To me? To me, Jared’s a sweet, caring, innocent young man that never had a chance to become what he could because he believed your lies.

“I’m not scared of you or your family, Hartley,” he wanted the man to bleed, to hurt but decided Jared needed him more so he turned toward the door; pausing to look back. “Try to hurt Jared or run me off, try to hurt my business and I promise you that you’ll be in for a shock. I’m going with the ambulance,” he told Chris, tossing him the keys to his car. “You can bring my car but make sure he gets locked up and away from Jared.”

The rest of the shouts went ignored as Jensen hurried to catch up to the EMTs who’d been alerted that he’d be going with them.

Sitting back so he’d be out of their road while they went over Jared, Jensen placed his hand on a shaking shoulder. “It’s over, Jay. You’re safe now and that bastard will never hurt you again,” he promised softly and prayed that was true.

Sixteen hours later found Jensen pacing restlessly after Dr. Samantha Ferris banished him from Jared’s side after he snarled at a hapless intern who put an IV in wrong.

The petite black haired motherly doctor had been called by the hospital staff as soon as Jensen revealed she was Jared’s doctor. The moment she came through the doors she was spitting curses that involved Justin Hartley’s biology and telling the ER staff what to do.

All Jensen had learned was that Jared had suffered from a badly dislocated right shoulder, collarbone in addition to a fracture in his left arm, several broken ribs, severe internal bruising, a concussion, popped blood vessels behind his eye, and that didn’t begin to cover the other bruises, welts and wounds he got from being raped several times in a short period of time.

The police had come by to ask him questions about what he knew of the incident and he gave them a very direct opinion on the bruises and other injuries he’d seen on Jared in the two weeks he’d known him and what had happened to lead up to that night.

“Old man Hartley’s lawyers will probably have the jackass out on bond by the morning,” Chris told him grimly when he arrived, quick to hold up a hand. “I know and I’ve already put in for a no contact and restraining order for you both but Jensen, if that kid doesn’t press charges and go through with them…”

“He’ll be scared but I’ll help him,” Jensen knew what all would come now. He’d been down this path so he knew about the threats, the intimidation, the doubts and fear that all would come and he would stand by the young man to help him…if Jared would let him.

“Jensen?” Dr. Ferris called from the doorway with a tight, tired smile. “Jared’s asking for you.”

Jensen was out the door. “I told him I’d be with him when he woke up,” he shot the woman a sour look. “I promised him, Sam.”

“He said that and I explained how I made you leave the room so it’s on me that you weren’t with him,” she replied calmly, laying a hand on his tense arm. “He’s still pretty shaky and sleepy so…just be careful with him, Jensen. You know the reason I sent him to you?”

“You knew I’d see the signs of abuse because he was just like I was before Steve put me in a coma for three weeks,” Jensen had known that the first day and he’d tried to resent the woman but he couldn’t because he also knew another reason she’d sent Jared to him. “You know, just introducing us would’ve worked too, Sam.”

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she scoffed, motioning to a door with a policeman standing guard. “Chris thought it best to have someone at the door…just in case.”

Jensen nodded in understanding, taking a deep breath before stepping into the room to see wide glassy swollen eyes lock on him instantly. “Hey, Jay,” he murmured quietly, seeing a weak hand try to move and hurried to the side of the bed. “Sorry I wasn’t here. Sam banished me but I’ll be here now and you will be fine. It just might take some time.”

Jared recalled the night. He recalled it all even if he wished he didn’t. He woke up scared and confused. Dr. Sam had given him a list of things wrong and what it would take to heal. Jared just wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do now.

“I…” he cut off as his tongue still felt like cotton, gratefully sipping the ice water that was held up to his split and swelled lips. “W-what…do I do?” he asked thickly, still tired and shaky. He knew he had no money, no insurance, no home.

He knew everything said about him was true and he also knew that by the time Justin got out that his job at the vet would also be gone probably because no one refused the powerful Hartley family. It scared him to think that he might have to go back to Justin.

“I…don’ wanna go back,” he whispered, feeling gentle warm fingers on his face and was surprised that he didn’t feel fear like he normally did. “Don’ have anything or money to pay for…this or a place to live or…”

As Jared’s heartbeat picked up and his words began to run together, Jensen shook his head. He sat on the edge of the bed to keep one hand on the side of Jared’s neck while taking his left hand to hold. “Okay, first I want you to calm down,” he urged, waiting until Jared seemed to be focusing on him, not his fears. “Don’t worry about the hospital or what it takes to get you better. It’s covered. In the morning I’ll have a lawyer friend start to look into getting back all the money you’ve given that asshole or that he’s got that belongs to you. Hartley will not hurt you, Jay…but you will have to press charges to at least prove that he’s not above the law.”

“I…he’ll…” Jared was scared. He didn’t want to see or hear Justin again. He also feared for Jensen if he stood by him. “He’ll buy…”

“I know that’s what he’s done in the past but if you trust me, if you let me help you and keep you safe, teach you how to stand up for yourself against him then he’ll at least have to go to court and face the charges,” Jensen knew the odds of actual jail time would be slim since he knew the rich asshole would use some excuse to put the blame on the naïve young man. “I think if he sees, if his father sees that you’re not going to be scared off or bought off, if you press charges to take this to court which will put a definite bad light on his idea to pretend he’s straight and engaged then I think, I hope, they’ll be willing to back off but it won’t be easy.

“He will try to scare you, he will try to break the restraining order that will keep him away from you, and he will use every little thing he can to hurt you because he believes he can. He believes you’re beneath him and that is so not true,” he went on, watching those tired eyes staring at him like he was speaking another language and Jensen ached for what Jared might have been like before meeting Hartley.

“I know he’s convinced you that all his lies were true but you are the one better than him. You are a wonderful, handsome, loving, kind young man with so much life ahead of you if you start believing in yourself,” Jensen’s thumb gently wiped a tear away when he saw it fall, lips curving into a warm smile. “I know you don’t know me, Jared. I know after however long you’ve been with him that it’ll take more than a few weeks with a stranger to erase all the damage he’s done to you but I hope you’ll let me in. I hope you’ll believe when I say that I want to help you in whatever way you’ll let me, that you’ll maybe let me get to know you.”

Jared stared at Jensen as if stunned. No one had ever spoken to him like that much less looked him in the face while speaking to him. Oh, he remembered a few teachers who cared enough to talk to him about his future. They’d told him not to get in too deep with Justin if he wanted to go on to college but then he believed his scholarship had been revoked…now he knew that had just been another lie.

“Why…why are you so nice to me?” he asked, sipping water again before having to rest his pounding head on the pillow but turned his sore and battered face into the palm that touched him; enjoying the feel of Jensen’s touch and briefly wondering how long it would last. “He’s right. I don’t have…”

“Baby, you have everything,” Jensen told him with a gentle smile, leaning up to lightly brush his lips over Jared’s forehead to feel a slight fever. “You have so much trust and love to share. You want to help people, kids and animals and not everyone will do that so trust me. Even if you need to get your life back under your control, you do have things and people who care for you,” he saw the doubt on that, smiling more. “Dr. Sam cares, the people at the vets care for you, Dani and Gen at the clinic care and…” he paused to be sure he had Jared’s sleepy attention. “I care, Jared. I care a lot and I will be here for and with you. I’ll help you get on your feet and I will have you pitching again.”

Swallowing the lump that formed Jared knew he was naïve and probably after so many years of trusting Justin that he shouldn’t believe all that Jensen was saying but he could feel the difference between the two men. He believed what Jensen said to him because he always looked him in the eye when he spoke which Justin never did.

“Stay…with me?” he asked, feeling sleepy but afraid to be alone. The pain meds were wearing off and he could still feel and hear Justin when he hurt him and all Jared really wanted was to feel safe for one time in three years. “I-if you can. I…I mean you don’t have…”

“I’m staying, Jay,” Jensen promised, starting to move to a chair beside the bed only to look when weak fingers tried to hold on and he looked to see the unspoken request plain on the pale bruised face that made him nod. “Okay, I’ll sit with you so you’ll know you’re not alone.”

Moving to carefully sit with his back against the headboard, Jensen was careful of hurting the younger man when he helped him ease closer so Jared would feel him beside him. He slipped a hand into Jared’s to hold while brushing his fingers back through long dark hair in a soothing motion until he felt him begin to relax again and drift back to sleep.

Jensen stayed the way, watching Jared sleep and silently hoping he can do for him what Sam and Chris did for him when he was in this same position.

** Six Months Later: **

“Strike three! You’re out!”

The loud voice of the umpire shouted and the crowd of the local hometown softball team cheered as their team won by a narrow margin, only made possible by the pitcher who’d made it through all 9 innings despite the concern of the manager and a very concerned man in the crowd.

Avoiding the mass of people who were leaving the small field, Jensen headed for the locker room so he’d be there by the time Jared changed.

Adjusting the sunglasses he wore, he thought back to all that had happened in the past six months since Jared was hurt and the healing that happened.

Physically healing was hard enough since it turned out that Jared had more internal bleeding than the doctors had first thought and that put him in surgery twice before they found all the bleeders. After that it was a matter of getting him strong again physically and emotionally.

Jensen stayed by his side through it all. He only left the hospital to shower, change clothes, check on the clinic and then he was back until slowly Jared began to accept that he wasn’t just saying things to him to appease him; that he would be there to help and support him. That he really did care about him.

Once he was released a week later, against Dr. Sam’s better judgment, Jared worried about where he’d go since he didn’t have a place or any money to call his own right then but Jensen took care of that by taking the quiet young man to his own home.

At first Jared balked because he didn’t want to become a bother or to make Jensen feel he had to help him but the second they walked in the door and Jared was greeted with a happy bark and a wet tongue of the overly energetic too large to be a puppy dog that ran to greet them he began to waver.

“He was a ball of fur Dani found in the alley behind the gym one day. She brought him in, I brought him home with the intention of placing an ad to find him a better home but…” Jensen smiled as he watched Jared sit on the sofa with the puppy, that looked to be part Saint Bernard and part Lab, sitting beside him to let Jared pet and rub his hands over its fur while talking softly to the dog. “We sort of bonded. He likes you too. He usually gives a sniff and goes in the bedroom if Chris stops by.”

Jared loved animals but he loved dogs the most and he already knew he could fall in love with this one…as well as its owner if he wasn’t careful.

“He’s alone during the day?” he asked softly, still a little wary about looking Jensen in the face when he spoke until a finger lifted his face up.

“Yeah. He got too big to take with me,” Jensen knelt down to pet the dog, letting his fingers find and hold Jared’s; feeling the grip returned. “Plus he’s like a big puppy and wants to play. A lot of people who come to the clinic were afraid of him so I have to leave him home.”

“If…if I stay here I could play with him?” Jared had always wanted a dog but Justin had refused. Now as this one flopped down to show his belly he began to feel some of the worry leaving him. “I’ll help take care of him.”

“Gently so he doesn’t hurt you until you heal up but yeah, you can play with him,” Jensen held his breath until finally Jared lifted his eyes and he saw a small shy smile and a nod. “I promise, it will get better, Jay.”

Jared had his doubts but he trusted Jensen so he would trust him this time as well and found after a few days that he was actually waking up without the same stomach churning fear of wondering if or when he’d be beat or hurt.

He and Rex played inside for the first few days as Jared’s shoulder, arm and other injuries healed. Jensen would go to work but only for a few hours and then he’d come back to spend the time with them and Jared found he was accepting the man’s touch easier once he got used to feeling either his fingers or hand just brushing through his hair or over his neck.

They were slight touches but it took Jared time to accept that Jensen wasn’t going to hurt him if he did something wrong or dropped something or left something sitting out. The first time Jensen had come home in a bad mood Jared had hid outside with the dog well into the night, huddled under a thin blanket on the floor of a shed outside until Jensen had come looking for him.

“Jay? You…let Rex inside cause it got chilly and it’s raining. Why are you out here?” he’d asked from the door, not moving until he saw the fear on Jared’s face and then he was at his side. “I scared you? How?”

“I-I just didn’t wanna be in the way,” Jared mumbled, shivering and wincing as his shoulder ached. “You had a bad day and I’m clumsy or too loud and…”

“Jared, you’re not any of those things,” Jensen told him, helping him to his feet and back into the house where he settled the shivering boy in bed with warm blankets and hot chocolate before explaining. “I got paid a visit by some inspectors today who’d been told of some illegal activities and other health code violation. They quickly learned everything was in order but it was just a pain in the ass,” he sighed, feeling Jared tensing and moving his fingers gently back to brush his bangs out of his eyes. “No, it’s not your fault. Hartley’s pissed off that he can’t scare you or me so he’s trying cheap shots.”

Jared knew Justin had been rearrested after he swore out a formal complaint for the attack that night and also all the other abuse he’d caused him the last four years. Cops, lawyers and investigators had all been by the talk to Jared but when men hired by the senior Hartley had tried to bully him to admit he was lying or that he brought the abuse on himself or enjoyed it they’d been swiftly shut down by the attorney that had appeared one day to simply say he was Jared’s attorney and it would all be cool.

All his life Jared hated confrontations. He hated to be in the middle of them much less to be the cause of them so to know he was causing Jensen trouble scared him. “I could…go back to…”

“Do you want that?” Jensen knew they’d had this talk a few times since the crank calls, the slashed tires, the broken windows at the clinic had started.

“No,” Jared whispered, lashes covered his eyes but not the tears that fell at the fear of Justin hurting him again. “I-I want to stay with you but…”

“He won’t hurt you and he’ll find that he can’t bully me so don’t worry about Hartley, Jay. Just focus on getting better,” Jensen urged him, understanding it would take Jared time to learn to trust and find himself. “Let me worry about the legal side of things. Now try to sleep.”

Because Jared still had nightmares and often would wake up screaming for his ex-boyfriend to stop hurting him, Jensen had taken to sleeping on the pullout sofa in the spare bedroom so he’d be close if he was needed.

After a month of this, he was a little surprised to wake up one time during a hot muggy night to realize he wasn’t alone on the lumpy pullout. Jensen laid still as he opened his eyes to see a big huge growing puppy plastered to his one side while Jared was curled on his other with his arm tossed over Jensen’s stomach to reach over to curl his fingers in the soft fur of the dog. And while this wasn’t all that easy to sleep with he quickly realized he wouldn’t have changed it, drifting back off with his arms around Jared.

The pressure, the subtle and not so subtle threats and intimidation methods never stopped. Jared got scared that Jensen might get tired of putting up with him over it but it stunned him when after seeing the crude messages sprayed on the front of his physical therapy clinic one morning all Jensen did was dial a number, speak curtly to whoever answered and after explaining the situation said ‘I want it stopped’ and then reached for his trembling hand to offer one of his smiles that always made Jared relax. “Let’s get to work.”

Jared wasn’t sure who his friend called but all he knew was it seemed like most of the worst stuff tapered off and while he would still see Justin or some of his friends hanging around places he or Jensen went no one did anything and he began to settle into working to get his shoulder and arms strengthened again.

He was working out on the weight machine one day with Jensen spotting him when the lawyer that had been dealing with things arrived, a cocky smirk on his handsome face. Jared had learned that when Chad Michael Murray had that look that something had gone right for them.

“Old man Hartley finally got smart. He decided that this time since Jared wasn’t backing off his testimony and his lawyers were paid a visit from someone from former Senator Ackles’ staff to suggest his son and pals stop harassing and threatening his nephew he chose to cut his losses,” Chad tossed his jacket to sit on a bench to give a supportive thumbs-up gesture to Jared. “He’s offering to pay emotional damages as well as pay back all the money his kid has taken off of Jared in four years and set up a fully paid tuition to any college that Jared wants to attend or gets accepted by.”

“And his kid gets away with a slap on the wrist?” Jensen smirked, placing the weight back on the stand to hand Jared a towel as he sat up; fingers rubbing gently over the back of Jared’s neck.

“Not exactly,” Chad pulled out a bunch of papers to hand them over while picking up a large soft ball to give it a toss to Jared since he knew it was next on the list of exercises after lifting weights. “His lawyer is offering this on the agreement that we don’t take this to full trial and Justin will spend 14 months in a ‘mental facility’ up East to ‘deal with his confusion over his sexuality and anger issues’ and then once released he’ll be on three years of supervised release and unable to come close to Jared, you or this place. The same with his buddies and if that’s broke then he’ll be sentenced to five years for the battery, rape and threats and not in a light weight fancy place.”

Jared blinked as he tried to understand all of that but looked up at Jensen. “What’s that mean, Jen?” he asked. “Will Justin walk away?”

“Not walk but he won’t have to go through with a public trial,” Jensen frowned, seeing the lawyer’s nod to Jared and understanding. “It also means you won’t have to be exposed to that either. I know what Chad will say and I know what Hartley’s lawyers will do if we push this to trial so I’ll tell you honestly that it would probably be better to take this deal but…” he shot Chad a swift hard look. “I want you to throw in that a public statement be issued to apologize for all the pain and crap that asshole has caused not only Jared but any other victims over the years. No way does he get to keep the golden boy reputation after this.”

“Yeah, I figured you’d want that and already tossed it in,” Chad winced as the ball was thrown back at him and he had to admit the kid was getting stronger since that toss stung a little. “I think the old man will go for it since he knows a trial, especially with a former and still very cranky old Texas Senator now involved, will blacken the family name more than a little statement and the rest of it.”

As it turned out the Hartley family was only too eager to agree to settle the case with as little muss and fuss as possible. Jared only had to see his ex-boyfriend one time and that left him shaking by the time the court officers and his own lawyer dragged him out of the courtroom after being sentenced. For the first time since meeting in high school Jared actually felt free. Now he just had to learn how to make it on his own.

He began to work again as soon as Jensen and Dr. Sam felt his shoulder and weakened muscles could handle it but Jensen insisted he stay with him and Rex since he had plenty of room and wouldn’t accept any money for rent.

They slowly, once all the hassle with Justin was over, and Jared was healing to where he could work and do therapy normally, began to explore things more between them.

Jensen was careful to go slow. He told Jared he didn’t want him to think he had to do anything and that they’d work up to the physical side of things slowly. Now was a time to get to know one another and for Jared to find who he wanted to be rather than just being who others thought he should be.

Jared applied to a few local colleges and was waiting to see if he’d be accepted. He still went to therapy three times a week until the day Jensen surprised him by saying they were going to a local ball field to toss the ball around.

It had been over a year since Jared had pitched or batted so he was nervous but after a few test pitches without any real pain he began to focus throwing to where Jensen stood with a glove.

Jensen watched to be sure Jared wasn’t showing any strain before nodding to try his best pitches and by the time one actually hit his glove with enough force that it moved him he was confident that Jared was on his way to being fully healed.

The local softball team had been practicing on the next field over and after one fastball moved Jensen back and he called a break to let his hand stop stinging the coach wondered over.

“Who you pitch for, son?” he asked Jared while eyeing his 6’4” lean but slowly filling out body with a professional interest, showing Jensen the radar gun he’d aimed to clock the speed of the pitches. “He’s pitching steady at 99 and above after an hour. I’d like to see him pitch with my guys for a game and see how it goes if that’s okay.”

Jared’s eyes were wide, shocked that anyone would ask him to pitch for even a local softball team but after a look to Jensen he slowly nodded; his dimples peeking out as he smiled and shook the man’s hand.

From there things seemed to get better. He was hired full time at the vet clinic, he was accepted at a college in Houston which allowed him to still live with Jensen and be able to play with Rex, volunteer to help the kids T-ball team and play for the softball team that had instantly welcomed him.

He and Jensen still hadn’t taken the next full step in their relationship but the night after Jared had pitched in his first game after they’d gone out to dinner to celebrate Jared was taken off guard when Jensen kissed him for the first time.

It was a slow sweet kiss with no heat, no pressure or expectation but a promise for more when Jared was ready for that step. “No pressure and nothing will change by me saying this but I want you to know…that I love you and I am proud of you for coming so far in the time since we’ve met,” he let the pad of his thumb brush over Jared’s cheek. “I’m proud of the confident young man you’re becoming and will keep becoming. Once you reach that point, once you can safely know that being physical with me won’t be like you’ve known it then we’ll go farther but for now…” he gave another soft kiss. “Love you, Jay.”

Jared hadn’t returned the words yet but he knew Jensen knew he felt the same. It was just learning to fully trust this new relationship that was making him take his time and Jensen respected that.

Now Jensen waited outside the locker room for Jared to come out, smiling as he thought of all the ways the scared, shy, battered boy who’d come into his clinic had grown into a still somewhat shy but happier young man.

“Hey, babe,” he greeted as strong ones wrapped around him from behind like Jared enjoyed doing when he caught him daydreaming. “Ready to grab some food and go home?”

“Yep,” Jared slipped his bag over his shoulder after he bent his head slightly to meet Jensen’s kiss with a happy smile that bordered on mischievous. “Or…we could go home, eat cold pizza and have sex. I vote for that one.”

Jensen nearly stumbled on that sudden suggestion while feeling his body, already tight with need from watching Jared play ball all evening reminded him of how long it had been since he’d had sex.

He and Jared had slowly been working their way up from heavy petting, to touching to the occasional hand or blow job. Jensen had been fighting with himself to keep his promise to leave it up to Jared when they made love since he knew his last experience with sex hadn’t been good or pleasurable. In fact there were times when he wondered if Jared had ever had sex and liked it but he hadn’t asked. Now he might have to because going out to dinner was no longer as appealing of getting Jared home, putting Rex outside and peeling him out of faded denim.

“Yeah, I think we can do that,” he managed to say, loving the dimples that came out in response to his agreement. “Let’s go home.”

They’d just gotten to the parking lot when a man’s voice called out and while Jared was still prone to tense Jensen merely shifted to look with a grunt.

He’d seen the guy watching the game, actually he’d seen him watching the last few games and after deciding he wasn’t a stalker or someone looking to hurt Jared, Jensen had relaxed. Now he tensed just subtly as the guy, a short stout older man, approached them.

“Jared?” he asked, waiting until he got a nod to slowly extend a hand since he must have caught the protective way Jensen had stepped slightly in front of his friend. “I’m Stu Landon. I’m a scout for the Astro’s. I got a tip that said you could smoke a ball past some pretty good local talent here and I’ve been impressed. I talked to the boys in the office and after what I saw you do tonight I’m extending you a shot to come try that heat on the big boys over at Minute Maid Park,” he smiled. “What d’ya say, son?”

Jared stared at the man for a long time, trying to decide if he was serious or playing with him. He loved baseball, loved pitching but he still could hear the mocking words of Justin saying he wasn’t good enough for the big league. He felt Jensen’s hand give his a comforting squeeze and knew he really only had one answer to give.

“Yes…yes, I’d love to,” he leaned into Jensen’s shoulder as he shook Stu’s hand again, accepted some papers and once they were alone again he stared into his boyfriend’s eyes…yes, he felt comfortable finally calling Jensen that. “What…did I just do?”

Jensen laughed, hugging him tightly. “You’re trusting yourself like I always have and now we really have something to celebrate,” he brought Jared closer to kiss him fully, not caring if they were in a parking lot or not. He was thrilled to see the boyish glee in Jared’s face at this chance. “Now you prove to everyone that you can make it and will make it and I will be with you every step of the way to support you.”

“I love you, Jen,” Jared murmured into the next kiss, glad he had trusted Jensen and reached out that night and hoped he never lost what they were building as he smiled. “Let’s go home. I want sex, cold pizza and then figure out what the hell I just got myself into.”

“And who am I to deny you any of those things?” Jensen smiled and knew that no matter what they did that night or any other that Jared had finally moved on from the pain of this life with Justin and looked forward to seeing where they went from then on.

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No before you guys freak out about no hot sex let me say there is a complete sequel that will give the complete happy ending as well as the hot stuff that my stories like this have. I was working with a word count on this story and had to give a basic happy ending but no fear, the sequel is going up ASAP. Thanks!


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